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14 charged with Sh64 million tax fraud

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 1 – Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika’s husband Samuel Mburu has denied defrauding the government Sh64 million in taxes.

Mburu denied making a false custom entry number for import of seven containers at 40 feet each falsely declared as machinery instead of assorted household goods and spare parts.

He faced an alternative charge of willfully refusing to answer questions by an authorized officer relating to customs entry.

Mburu is among 14 who were charged in the case.

Others include former Kenya Bureau of Standards Managing Director Charles Ongwae, Eric Chesire Kiptoo, Esther Wangui Watene, Ali Thuo Chuphi, Elizabeth Nyambura Kimani, Alex Maina Ndiritu, Cornelius Mwanyamba Mwango and Fredrick Cheruiyot Busongo.

Others are Sameul Mburu Kamau, George Hilary Kamau, Ibrahim Twahil Mohamed, Harrison Ngige Muchiri, Nuh Abdille Hassan, Dahir Yusuf and Jimal Mahamud Haasan.

Ongwae was however not present in court for plea taking.

His Lawyer told Senior Principal Magistrate Martha Mutuku that his client was upcountry attending a funeral service and only learned yesterday from the press that he was supposedly under arrest.

Mutuku subsequently directed that he appears in court on the 23rd of this month to take plea when the case will be mentioned against the other accused persons.

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She however issued a warrant of arrest against George Hillary Kamau and Alex Mina.

Mburu and Kamau run Landmark Freight Services Limited which is one of the companies accused of concealing imported goods with the aim of evading taxes.

According to the charge sheet, Gendipe Enterprises and Rupai Trading Ltd and their clearing agent Landmark Freight Services Ltd — concealed imported goods with the aim of evading taxes and reducing amount of penalties payable for goods arriving without certificate of conformity from the country of origin.

The two companies reportedly imported goods from Dubai which they declared to be machinery but were later found to be cooking oil.

Maina on the other hand is accused of conspiring to defraud the government of revenue amounting to sh50 million by unlawfully concealing and releasing import goods in containers containing assorted house-hold goods and spare parts concealed as machinery to evade payment of the requisite tax.

The accused persons were each released on a cash bail of sh200,000 and a bond of sh500,000.

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